Synopses & Reviews
The Official Lamaze Guide helps expectant parents experience childbirth with confidence. In clear, easy-to-understand terms, this book dispels the myths that pregnancy and birth are fraught with risk. Lothian and DeVries offer solidly researched evidence to document that common medical interventions (such as pitocin, epidural block, c-sections, IV fluids, and electronic fetal monitoring) often have the effect of putting both mother and baby at greater risk than an intervention-free or "normal" childbirth. In collaboration with Lamaze International, the authors bring decades of professional and personal experience backed by strong research support their views on preparing women for childbirth.
iParenting Media Awards 2006 Excellent Product Winner: Parenting
Review
“What Lamaze offers women isn’t a ‘method’ but rather the confidence to stop worrying and start believing that a woman’s body does birth best, and that every woman deserves patient, gentle, unwavering support through this process. This book gives women something new to ‘expect’: to be amazed at our own power and strength.”
Jennifer Block, author of Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care“This is a superb book. Though it’s called ‘official,’ it isn’t written in bureaucratic language and isn’t heaped with instructions. It’s humane, funny, tender, down-to-earth and joyful. Essential reading for all pregnant women who seek autonomy in childbirth.”
Sheila Kitzinger, author of The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth“The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence is the first book that every pregnant woman should read before she makes any decisions about her maternity care. This book is a breath of fresh air. By following these explanations and recommendations women will gain the best chance of having a normal, natural, healthy, and empowering birth.”
Marshall Klaus, MD, and Phyllis Klaus, MFT, CSW, authors of The Doula Book, Your Amazing Newborn, and Bonding“This book is a wonderful resource that provides information, knowledge, and skills to expectant parents who want to play a central role in their children’s births.”
Penny Simkin, coauthor of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn“At last there is a resource that emphasizes normal birth and increases parents’ confidence. The honest information and reassuring tone of the authors truly get to the heart of women’s fears and allow them to explore those fears in a safe way. The book contains life skills such as communication and negotiation and tells the simple story of birth in a manner that left me in awe. I wish I had been able to share this book with expectant families during my first seventeen years of teaching and being a doula.”
Ann Grauer, LCCE, CD(DONA), PCD(DONA), past president of DONA International“The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence is one of the rare books today containing an unapologetically woman-centered view of birth…. The authors strongly advocate natural birth…. They emphasize that women’s bodies are beautifully designed to grow, birth, and nurture babies. The Official Lamaze Guide…should be in every [pregnant mother’s] hands.”
Jane Pincus, BA, MAT, MFA, Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care“Warm and wise, honest yet reassuring, chock full of information, and based on the latest and best researchany pregnant woman who wants a normal birth should put this book on her A list.”
Henci Goer, author of The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth“The Official Lamaze Guide is a source of information that women need to have and a message that women need to hear. I think it accomplishes its purpose skillfully and has the potential to be a transformative influence. I hope women read it, absorb it, and begin to celebrate birth!”
Molly Remer, MSW, CCCE
Review
"The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence is a no-nonsense handbook for laboring without medical interventions. The authors point out that Lamaze is no longer a method but a philosophy: Birth is normal and women can handle it."—Melissa Chianta, Mothering Magazine
Review
"What Lamaze Offers women isn't a 'method' but rather the confidence to stop worrying and start believing that a woman's body does birth best, and that every woman deserves patient, gentle, unwavering support through this process. This book gives women something new to 'expect': to be amazed at our own power and strength."—Jennifer Block, author of Pushed: The Painful Truth Abouth Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care
Review
"This is a supurb book. Though it's called 'official,' it isn't written in bureaucratic language and isn't heaped with instructions. It's humane, funny, tender, down-to-earth and joyful. Essential reading for all pregnant women who seek autonomy in childbirth."—Sheila Kitzinger, author of The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth
Synopsis
The Lamaze Guide helps expectant parents embrace natural childbirth with confidence. This book will be of value not only to those taking Lamaze classes who have already decided on natural childbirth, but to all expectant parents who want to make sure that their childbirth experience reflects their informed choices rather than the convenience of their physician. This book is the only official guide endorsed by Lamaze International, the leading organization in North America providing childbirth training for pregnant mothers.
About the Author
Judith Lothian is a nurse and childbirth educator with over 30 years of experience. She is an associate professor at Seton Hall University College of Nursing and is chair of the Lamaze International Certification Council. Dr. Lothian is a nationally recognized speaker on birth and breastfeeding, a columnist for The Journal of Perinatal Education, and a mother of five and grandmother of seven. Charlotte DeVries is a journalist, past president of Lamze International's board of directors, and a current board advisor.